--- title: How Does Teeth Whitening Work? description: Wondering how teeth whitening works? Everyone wants whiter teeth. Tooth whiteness has been associated with confidence, attractiveness, and professional success, but it's not exactly easy to maintain. Here is how the whitening process works... image: https://www.drlinger.com/hubfs/whitening-trays-992596-edited.jpeg --- # How Does Teeth Whitening Work?. ![avatar](https://www.drlinger.com/hubfs/DrLinger%20May%202017/Images/Doctor%20photo%202015%20cropped.jpg "avatar") Posted by Dr. William Linger, DDS, MAGD - [**](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.drlinger.com/blog/how-does-teeth-whitening-work) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.drlinger.com/blog/how-does-teeth-whitening-work&title=&summary=&source=) - [**](https://twitter.com/home?status=) - [**](https://plus.google.com/share?url=https://www.drlinger.com/blog/how-does-teeth-whitening-work) - [**](mailto:?&subject=https://www.drlinger.com/blog/how-does-teeth-whitening-work&body=https://www.drlinger.com/blog/how-does-teeth-whitening-work) **  ![how does teeth whitening work](https://www.drlinger.com/hs-fs/hubfs/whitening-trays-992596-edited.jpeg?width=600&name=whitening-trays-992596-edited.jpeg) While you could cut out all dark-colored foods and drinks from your diet, most people opt for dental treatments instead. You brush your teeth with whitening toothpaste, follow your dentists' instructions and many people choose to go through professional whitening procedures. [Cosmetic dentistry ](https://www.drlinger.com/cosmetic-dentistry-charlotte-nc)can help you to safely whiten your teeth in a very short amount of time with far more effectiveness and reliability than over-the-counter solutions. When you're considering professional whitening, it's not unusual to wonder how this procedure is going to play out. Most people imagine a single concentrated procedure but the majority of professional teeth whitening actually happens at home with your dentists' support. #### **The Two Types of Teeth Whitening** There are two ways you can go about whitening your teeth with the help of your dentist, often combined for the best possible effects.   The first is a super-charged visit to your cosmetic dentistry office where you will spend about an hour in the chair and can significantly whiten your teeth without weeks of commitment. The second method, usually paired with the first, is at-home treatments with custom dental trays. These should be used a few hours a day or while you sleep for best results. #### **Zoom! In-Office Whitening** The Zoom! In-office method for [whitening teeth](https://www.drlinger.com/teeth-whitening-in-charlotte-nc) is very popular and can be done alone or along with nightly treatments at home. When you come in for Zoom teeth whitening your appointment will likely start with a normal teeth cleaning to make sure you and your dentist are working with just the teeth, not what you ate for breakfast. After your cleaning, the dentist will treat your teeth with a hydrogen peroxide whitening gel and then applies a bright UV light. The bleaching gel reacts to the UV light, intensifying the whitening effect which is why the in-office procedure is so effective as a one-time treatment or to kick-start your home whitening. After 15 minutes, your dentist will re-apply the gel, and again after another 15 minutes creating a total of 45 minutes of whitening treatment. You will need to hold the light device between your teeth during this time. Immediately after your treatment, your teeth will be treated with a sensitivity-reducing fluoride past-gel to manage the tooth sensitivity that is a common response to whitening.     ![zoom](https://www.drlinger.com/hubfs/images.jfif)   #### **At-Home Whitening with Custom Trays** Many people who care about whitening their teeth are familiar with the idea of whitening gel in tooth trays, but over-the-counter treatments are significantly different from what your cosmetic dentist can provide. Your dentist will take a custom mold of your teeth and provide trays that fit your teeth perfectly along with medical-strength whitening gel that is more powerful than the packaged alternatives. This makes it easier, more comfortable, and more efficient to whiten for a few hours at home while watching television, doing chores, or sleeping.  At-home whitening usually takes no more than two weeks to see the results you're looking for. Results may be even faster if you choose to combine an in-office session with at-home treatments. After two weeks of home whitening, you can check back in with your [dentist](https://www.drlinger.com/dr-linger) for further advice or skip the follow-up if you are fully satisfied and not experiencing any additional sensitivity. Choosing the right cosmetic dentistry solutions for you is an important first step to reinventing your smile. Whether you're whitening for an event, in preparation for further dental work, or just to look your best, we're here to help with all your teeth whitening needs. For more information about how teeth whitening works and what you can expect, [contact us](https://www.drlinger.com/contact-us) today! Topics: [Cosmetic Dentistry](https://www.drlinger.com/blog/topic/cosmetic-dentistry), [Teeth Whitening](https://www.drlinger.com/blog/topic/teeth-whitening) [![cosmetic dentistry](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3280013/d3cb2217-5dbf-45fb-8ffe-212fd4f3671f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3280013/d3cb2217-5dbf-45fb-8ffe-212fd4f3671f) --- ### Recent Posts By Dr. William Linger, DDS, MAGD #### Concierge Dentistry in Charlotte, NC [![read more](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/685080/IMG-TurboSodium/Sodium%20v2/blog/arrow-recent-blog-post.png "read more")](https://www.drlinger.com/blog/why-you-deserve-concierge-dentistry-0) By Dr. William Linger, DDS, MAGD #### Disturbing Trends in Dentistry Vol.1 [![read more](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/685080/IMG-TurboSodium/Sodium%20v2/blog/arrow-recent-blog-post.png "read more")](https://www.drlinger.com/blog/disturbing-trends-in-dentistry-vol.1) By Dr. William Linger, DDS, MAGD #### What Does Wisdom Teeth Growing in Feel Like? [![read more](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/685080/IMG-TurboSodium/Sodium%20v2/blog/arrow-recent-blog-post.png "read more")](https://www.drlinger.com/blog/what-does-wisdom-teeth-growing-in-feel-like) --- #### Welcome to Charlotte's Dental Blog Sign up for updates on our blog to receive them: instantly, weekly or on a monthly basis. 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Dr. Linger has been a trusted, reliable, and popular top rated Charlotte dentist for the past 20 years. The support team that we have built inside the office includes the best dental assistants, hygienists, patient comfort specialists, and cheerful front office professionals. Financial Assistance Available ##### Office Park Place On Wendover, 435 N. Wendover Road Charlotte, NC 28211 ##### Call us:   704-364-2510 ### Fresh from our blog: © 2021 All Rights Reserved Dr. William Linger, DDS, MAGD - Managed by RiseFuel. | Privacy Policy. [Contact Us](https://www.drlinger.com/contact-us) | [Sitemap](https://www.drlinger.com/sitemap) **